


A visit from the Black Dog

by LadyEkaterina



Series: The Meaning of Love [8]
Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Bipolar Disorder, Depression, Family Feels, M/M, References to Depression
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-19
Updated: 2019-04-19
Packaged: 2020-01-16 10:31:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18519631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyEkaterina/pseuds/LadyEkaterina
Summary: Ian suffers a depressive episode and Mickey deals with Trevor





	A visit from the Black Dog

Ian was having a depressive episode. He'd been in bed now for 3 days. Mickey had called Ian’s boss and explained, then he called the psych clinic and spoke to one of the nurses there.  
"It's OK." she was saying. "This happens. Make sure he keeps on the medication and keep an eye on him. If you need to, bring him in."  
Mickey had no intention of bringing Ian anywhere. He remembered what it was like in that place. But he stood over Ian every day until he took his meds, and every evening before Mickey went to work, he would lug Ian into the shower, wash him and put him in a clean t shirt and shorts before letting him rest. He also set up a schedule with Carl, Debbie and Lip to make sure Ian was never alone. When Mickey would go to work, there would always be someone in the house. 

They continued like this for another week and a half. Then one afternoon when Mickey was home, working on his GED, there was a knock at the door. Mickey automatically looked to the baseball bat to make sure it was within reach and then he answered the door. A young, attractive man stood there with dark hair.  
"Hi", he said. "Is Ian in?"  
Mickey looked at this pretty boy suspiciously "He's upstairs. Asleep" he said shortly.  
"Oh." The two looked at each other for a couple of minutes "You're Mickey, right?" Mickey was immediately on edge. "Who wants to know?"  
"I'm Trevor."  
Mickey shrugged. "I'm the guy Ian left to go to Mexico with you."  
_I know who you are, pretty boy._  
__Mickey folded his arms and raised an eyebrow.  
"Ohhhhhh... the boyfriend who abandoned Ian when he was really ill."  
Trevor looked uncomfortable, a look Mickey felt he could deal with seeing.  
"Well ex boyfriend now."  
_Really pretty boy? That’s what you’re going with?_  
"Yup"  
"Look, can I come in?"  
"Suit yourself" Mickey moved out of the way never unfolding his arms, never taking his eyes off Trevor.  
Trevor entered the house and sat on the sofa.  
Mickey looked at him. The boy looked a little too comfortable. Time to get him off guard. "I'm getting a beer - You want one?"  
"Er yes, please."  
Mickey brought over the beers and the pair sat drinking in silence, Trevor on the sofa, Mick on the chair. Trevor kept taking sidelong glances at Mickey and in the end Mickey looked him straight in the eyes. "What?"  
“Did Ian ever talk about me?”  
_Yeah of course he did, you fuck._  
“Yeah. A bit. I mean he said he had a boyfriend and he told me about how the two of you ended things when Ian was getting pretty nuts”  
_That’s right. I know what you did._  
“Is that all?”  
_Yeah. Cos it really doesn’t matter. You don’t matter._  
“Pretty much.”  
"Oh um. How long have you and Ian been together?"  
_Really? Ok you asked._  
"This time? Or over all?"  
"Over all."  
"8...9 Years. With breaks"  
"Breaks?"  
"Yeah, Juvie, Prison, Ian cheating on me when he was manic"  
"He cheated on you?"  
"Yeah but it was the mania."  
_It doesn't matter, don't you see? ___  
"Why are you still here?"  
"It wasn't his fault - He was ill - Remember?" Mickey stressed the last word  
"Oh yeah, his Bipolar right?”  
"Yeah, well anyway hyper sexuality is one of the symptoms of the mania."  
"And you're still here?"  
"Obviously."  
"Why?"  
Mickey smiled to himself. "It's Ian. Wouldn't you be if you had the chance?"  
Trevor thought about it. "I'm not sure."  
_Bullshit._  


"Really? See here's the thing. Ian and me - we're bound together. Always have been since the very first time we.... Whether we liked it or not." He remembered what he'd said to Ian that day before Mexico. "He's under my skin, you know?" Mickey noted the discomfort in Trevor's face.  
_Yes mother fucker, he has always been mine and I've always been his. Even when the two of you were poncing around doing whatever it was you were doing. Know this. Ian was mine._  
Trevor stared at this man. He’d always imagined “Mickey” to be older, bigger, more aggressive, taller, not what he was looking at. I mean he was attractive, for sure, but. Trevor had also assumed that Mickey had basically forced Ian to go to Mexico with him. Now he was beginning to think it might have been the other way around. Crap, he was not going to cry.. OK change the subject Trevor.  
"I came to talk to Ian about getting him to talk to some of the kids at my shelter - You know about coming out and living a normal life."  
"Normal? You've met the Gallaghers, right?"  
Trevor tried to laugh. "Yeah I know what you mean, but would you pass on the message?"  
Mickey looked at him a little too long.  
_Like hell that's why you came. You came here to look at me. Well I hope you like what you see, boy._  
"Sure. I'll tell him. Has he got your number?"  
Trevor wrote it down just in case and then finished his beer and stood up. "It was good to meet you Mickey. I had always wondered..." He trailed off.  
_I'm sure you have.  
_ Mickey stood up too and grinning, he stuck out his hand. "Good to meet you too Trevor." _Now off you go._

After work, Mickey went up to bed. To his surprise Ian was awake.  
"Hey there. How're you feeling?"  
"Better. No fog."  
"Good" Mickey lay down next to him. Ian turned to him "Who was here? I heard voices earlier?"  
"Oh. yeah. Um Trevor came by."  
"What!!!"  
Mickey sat up and lit a cigarette  
"Yeah pretty boy said he wants you to do some kind of talk to his kids?"  
Mickey puffed out his chest a little. "But I think he came to look at the man that almost got you to go to Mexico."  
Ian sat up and took the cig from Mickeys hands "Do you." He said, with a sarcastic twang.  
"I do" said Mickey and smirked taking the cig back and finishing it.  
"Mickey, did he.... Did he walk out of the house?"  
Mickey knew what that meant. "I didn't lay a finger on him, Ian. I swear."

"Well" said Ian as he took off the t shirt and stretched his upper body. "Seeing as I'm feeling better..."  
He left it hanging. Mickey grinned at him.

"Don't get me wrong, Ian. If he comes sniffing around you again, I may not be so peace loving next t.."  
Ian stopped his words with a kiss. 

Later that night, Ian lay in the darkness and said  
“Mickey. You awake?”  
“I am now.” Mickey smiled into the pillow.  
“Thank you. For... you know looking after me.”  
Mickey rolled over to face Ian “I told you before you ass. Family. We take care of each other remember?”  
“Yeah but. I have to say. No. I want to say it. Thank you. “  
“You’re welcome.”  
Ian snuggled into Mickey’s arms with his head on Mickey’s chest and closed his eyes feeling safe and at peace. Mickey dropped a kiss on Ian’s forehead. And closed his own eyes.  
_He has always been mine and I've always been his._


End file.
